NFL Draft 2011: Mizzou's Aldon Smith Could Be a Perfect Fit for Kansas City

NFL draft prospect Aldon Smith had 17 sacks in just 23 games at Missouri and is poised to continue his dominance at the next level.Jamie Squire/Getty Images

The Kansas City Chiefs headed into the 2010 offseason knowing that they had some holes to fill after they got blown out in two straight weeks to end the season.

One of these holes continues to be at outside linebacker, the position that is opposite of reigning AFC sack leader Tamba Hali.

Kansas City has tried to fill in this spot with other players in the past, more recently veteran Mike Vrabel, but many of them have not been able to get the job done.

Vrabel will be 36 years old this season and his days as a starting linebacker in the NFL are starting to get numbered.

He has seen his sack totals decrease from 12.5 to zero in the past four seasons.

If Kansas City chooses to release Vrabel, they still have options at outside linebacker with incumbents Andy Studebaker and Cameron Sheffield at their disposal.

With free agency looking less and less like it is going to happen this offseason, the Chiefs have no choice but to turn to the draft to see what else is out there.

Former Missouri defensive lineman could be what the Chiefs are looking for, if he is available when their first round selection is made with the 21st overall pick in the draft.

The Raytown, Missouri native picked up an MU-record 11 sacks in his freshman season in 2009 and added six more last year to give him a total of 17 sacks in just two seasons played for the Tigers.

There is no question that he is a big pass rushing threat, but there are questions with him playing at linebacker in the NFL, a position he did not play in college.

However, you don't have to look very far to see success stories from defensive end-converted-linebackers as the Chiefs have one of their own in Tamba Hali, who has collected 23 sacks at this position since being switched over just two years ago.

Smith is also a good character guy, and a hard-working kind of team player that Chiefs GM Scott Pioli values when he makes each draft selection every year.